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Anyone got a 26" tandem built wheelset with a coaster brake?
Has anyone ever seen a fixed gear tandem?
I had mine set up that way once but the front chain tensioner couldn't really handle it and I crashed horibly when the chain came off. Luckily there was no stoker.
tandem track racing is one of the coolest schools of velodrome-ing. until you roll your tubie off your rim and your disc wheel disintegrates.
tandem setups on the track are wild. the front person steers while the back person does all the pedaling. the front persons legs just spin as fast as the back person is pedalling, they dont actually make the bike go any faster or slower.
@rbi:
"The front persons legs just spin as fast as the back person is pedalling, they dont actually make the bike go any faster or slower."
That doesn't make any sense. The captain's cranks are connected via a timing chain without a freewheel. There would be no way to avoid power transfer. Take the stoker off the bike and the captain is still going to be able to pedal the bike. There is fundamentally no difference between the way a geared tandem is set up and the way a track tandem is set up, except that there is no need to run a timing chain on the opposite side, since it can run on the inside of the drive side. I can believe that track tandem teams put the stronger rider in the back, where there is minimal power loss to the rear wheel, but the captain's power is definitely getting to the rear wheel unless the bikes are violating basic newtonian mechanics.
I think track tandems were an olympic sport until Munich. They were faster than the individual racers and the tracks were just too small. Just talking about this with Dustin from The Used Camera Store in Costa Mesa (Newport?) - cool shop...lotsa vintage track bike stuff...they have a sweet Pinto track bike on eBay right now.
that bike shop is a joke. tons of stolen stuff ends up at that store and he sells nothing but shoddy conversions with suicide hubs to unsuspecting teenagers. once again, fuck that bike shop.
@rbi I know it was already pointed out, but that doesn't make any sense at all. Anyone who thinks only one rider produces power on a tandem has never ridden one. The exception being some unusual tandems with special gearing that allows front and rear rider to ride out of phase.
When Meghan and I ride ours I am up front, but I can tell when she is going easy because I have to push harder to maintain same pace. I've also kicked into a overdrive a few times for a friendly race with some roadie who doesn't know it is now a race, just because it's fun to do on our giant steel land ship as I call it. Meghan loves to wave at people when we pass.
One of the other things I love about tandem riding is when in traffic I can focus on the driving and keeping us safe, while Meghan can scream and shout at ass hole drivers and shake fists at them without worry and while making eye contact. I mean it's nicer when we don't have to do that can just chill, but I like having someone in back to do the yelling for me.
GarySe7en responding to a comment by ruinedbyidiots
06.11.09 - 5:36 pm
The reason they say the stoker is doing all of the work is that the stoker actually moves the wheel, while the captain moves the stokers cranks. In the end, they are both working, and you can ride a tandem by yourself sitting in the front, but in racing, it is normal to put the stronger rider in the back.
Hmm, flatness from HelMel...Pan Pacific? Hollywood? (daytime on a saturday is tough) West to the beach? (too far?) Residential through Beverly Hills? How big do you think we'll be? Enough to take over a busy road? Will the group be comfortable on tandems? We might not be super-competent - riding one for the first time since pre-pubesence. Answering a question with 10 more questions...
supersano responding to a comment by barleye
06.19.09 - 12:35 pm
we're gonna stop at ralphs / trader joes at 3rd and la brea, take the food and drink to pan pacific park, eat, then ride more....stop at la brea tar pits to chill for a short time...then back to the start point...
15.5 miles total....
BRING ANY BIKE..DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A TANDEM...
barleye responding to a comment by Creative Thing
06.24.09 - 12:23 am
I think my friend from school has a tandem, but she wants to ride. If you and coecoe find one, don't be afraid to take the "short bus" name! Hopefully my friend can make it.
imachynna responding to a comment by tinycities
06.24.09 - 11:31 am
Barleye,
I'll be coming from a meeting in Santa Monica and might not get there till 1:30 or 2:00.
What time will you roll out?
I'm coming, even if I have to catch up. Please save a spoke card for the archive.
Snowcone, you still want to roll with me?
lesliecaldera-at-sbcglobal-dot-net
I need a stoker for the ride tomorrow. Yeah, I have the tandem.
I'll be arriving late, maybe a little after 1:00.
Any body want to roll with me, send me an email tonight.
Barring that, I guess I'll miss this ride.
lesliecaldera-at-sbcglobal-dot-net
i WAS considering a night ride but too many assholes come out at night and the 1st tandem ride was totally fun during the day....a responsible group that WANTED to ride and have a blast....
anyhow, the Sins and Sprockets Dice Run is the day(time) before and that's just too much day time sun drenched riding for most people. I'm doing the SNS ride.
It'll probably be in October or late September.
barleye responding to a comment by SnapperS
08.31.09 - 9:28 pm
I keep missing this ride, and my tandem is collecting cob webs.
May 22 is the date of the Amgen Tour time trial downtown.
The time trial starts at 1 pm.
Expect massive traffic, road closures and pedestrians, all over downtown. The TT route is Staples center and Temple, so all of the city core will be in the middle of it.
I love you, Barleye, but I'm gonna be ringing my cow bell at the race.
Any way of getting a head count of how many tandems will be making it out? It'd be cool to see at least 10. Bring whatever bike you have though....it's a day time ride. all flat. We'll probably do it like last time with a stop at a market followed by a park to eat lunch.
A couple weeks ago, on Saturday night, I was getting ready to go to a small group ride my friend had made and I noticed the Tandem Ride! And I was like, DAMN, THERE'S A TANDEM RIDE!? I was happy it existed but knew I couldn't make it to the ride because I was going on a different ride. Then I clicked the link to the ride to see the details and saw that it was postponed for a few more weeks! Yay! I could make it to the next one!
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Ridazz Roulette!
BUILD, BORROW, BUY, STEAL, RENT......DOESN'T MATTER HOW.....JUST GET YOUR HANDS ON A TANDEM.
Represent!
I wish we could have bought this tandem from Sexy!! 
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/bik/1178655447.html
$200 TANDEM IN HOLLYWOOD.
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/bik/1189049904.html
Also known as a STROKER.
We should have a photographer rida take individual photos of all the tandem couples. It'd be cool to see all the individual photos together.
Tandems and clothing are optional!
I need a stoker for the ride tomorrow. Yeah, I have the tandem.
